Tales of two borrower sisters dropped into the show Boy Meets World!
In all of Eric’s life, he’d never met a girl more difficult to read than Lucy.
Usually, most people were relatively easy to understand, and Eric never had trouble figuring out what someone wanted, whether they were nervous, angry, happy, flirty, or bored. Even if their face didn’t say it, usually their body language did.
Obviously, she wasn’t human. She was a Borrower. She most likely didn’t grow up learning the same social customs Eric did, like how you’re supposed to smile when you greet people, or that it’s rude to stare, and it made sense that she wouldn’t know that.
She probably didn’t go to school or interact with many people her own age or anyone at all. She carried herself like there was danger everywhere, always alert, always ready to fight or run for the walls. And maybe there was danger everywhere, especially at her size, but the burden of that paranoia clung to her always.
And then there were her eyes.
Deep brown, same as the coffee beans his dad ground up every morning but nowhere near as comforting. It wasn’t often that Lucy made eye contact with Eric on purpose, if anything, she avoided his eyes most of the time, like looking at him would somehow expose herself. But there were some moments, rare ones, where he’d make eye contact and she wouldn’t look away. Eric didn’t know if she realized it or not. At times it felt deliberate, the slightest furrow of her brows like she was examining him, measuring his trustworthiness he supposed. And then, other times, it felt different – less guarded, more observational with the same intensity of an FBI agent interrogating a criminal.
Every time it made him feel so aware of himself, of his hands, his body, his demeanor. Like something was wrong but he had no idea what, or like she was waiting for something to be wrong, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
Whatever she saw in him, it didn’t keep her away.
Lucy had appeared at least three times since him and Cory had given her the felt. Each time looking healthier than the last, so it was safe to assume their home wasn’t a freezer anymore.
She came with the same guarded and flighty attitude, with eyes that shifted constantly, deep and unreadable.
The things she asked for at first seemed practical, double A batteries, one or two strings of yarn, but then they got a little less practical sounding. Buttons, pink ones, exactly three of them.
“Why three though?” Eric asked as Cory left the room to retrieve the buttons, “why so specific?”
One of Lucy’s eyebrows twitched at the question.
She turned her head to look at him properly, eyes searing into his. Her arms were crossed, foot tapping impatiently like she’d rather be anywhere else than in his presence. Maybe Eric should value his life more, but for some reason, he kept pushing.
“Are you making something with them?” He pried, head tilting curiously at her.
Lucy jerked her head away suddenly, like his gaze had burned her.
“Why all the questions?” she said stiffly.
Eric shrugged, “I just want to know. Am I not allowed to know anything about you?”
“If it were up to me, you wouldn’t.”
She still refused to look at him.
Eric’s eyes softened, she was so on edge, so guarded at all times, he wished he could somehow make her relax. But he had no idea how to convince her that he wasn’t out to hurt her. How could he convince her to trust him when he’s the very thing she was raised to fear?
“Hey,” Eric said, softer this time, “listen, I’m not trying to be weird. I’m just curious.”
For a moment, she didn’t move.
But slowly, her head turned back, eyes searing into his soul, measuring – they always were.
Then the bedroom door opened again. Cory had returned, holding up the prize. Three small pink buttons.
He closed the door quietly behind him with a triumphant, almost giddy smile. Eric had to bite back a laugh. Cory looked as if he’d pulled off the heist of the century.
“I got them,” he said gleefully.
Eric watched him strut forwards and set the buttons down on the desk in front of Lucy. She didn’t move for a minute, her eyes flickering between them with hesitation.
They won’t explode, Eric wanted to say, but he kept his thoughts to himself this time.
Lucy reached out, her miniscule hands snatching up the buttons and tucking them underneath her arms. She turned around, about to just leave without a word like she always tried to do.
“Not even a thank you?” Eric asked, a hint of a smile on his face.
Lucy froze, glaring at him out of the corner of her eye. For a second, Eric thought she might ignore him, but then he heard it.
Barely more than a mutter out of her mouth, but his ears caught just enough for his face to break into a full smile.
Lucy, seeming to think she’d said something forbidden, raced back into the small opening in the walls without saying anything more.
Eric glanced at Cory, triumph flooding through his veins. His little brother seemed deeply impressed.
“Wow, that’s an improvement,” he said, nodding his head slowly.
Eric laid back slightly, his arms behind his head.
“I know,” he replied in an admittedly arrogant tone, “she’s definitely warming up.”
Cory shrugged skeptically in response, but Eric didn’t think he was shooting too far at all.
Progress was progress, no matter how little.
“One step at a time, Cor,” Eric advised. He should totally teach a class on this topic. How to get a Borrower to trust you 101. Taught by Mr. Eric Matthews – an expert on human/Borrower relations…
Eric’s eyes remained on the spot Lucy had disappeared from, not on purpose, just drifting. But his attention snagged on the cup of pens and pencils on Cory’s desk. He could’ve sworn he saw movement.
A smirk tugged at Eric’s lips, of course she’d be hiding still. He leaned to the side to get a better look – then froze.
Because blinking back at him were a pair of curious brown eyes, wide and almost doe-like, peeking around the rim of the cup at him.
That he knew immediately.
They stared at each other for barely a second. Then a tiny gasp, those eyes widening in shock, blonde hair whipping out of sight before he heard the tiniest pitter patter of footsteps, and then finally, silence.
Eric didn’t move, his head filled with questions, trying to process what he’d just seen.
His head turned slowly to look at Cory.
“Dude… you saw that, right?” he muttered.
Cory looked frozen too, staring at the same spot and nodding slowly.
“So, either Lucy dyed her hair blonde in the span of two minutes, or…”
“There’s another one,” Cory finished.
They both sat in silence, still staring at the cup like it might bring them answers.
“What have we gotten ourselves into?” Eric asked.
“Who knows…” Cory answered.
Amy’s heart beat frantically in her chest. Her back was firmly pressed against the wall, as though she could stick to it permanently if she tried hard enough, her breathing showing no sign of calming down.
Now she’d really done it.
That’s all Amy had wanted.
A peek at the Matthews boys to satisfy her curiosity, and that would be the end of it.
But Amy never received proper Borrower training, she wasn’t very good at stealth, or at climbing, or running, or any sort of activity that being a proper Borrower required. Her body just couldn’t keep up with most of it.
And now she was paying for her defects in full.
She cursed her curiosity to the moon and back.
She just wanted to know what they looked like. Did they seem kind? Were their voices gentle? Were they sincere?
The Matthews boys had been such enigmatic figures to her, the only things she knew about them were what Lucy chose to tell her. And even based on Lucy’s very negative perceptions and descriptions, the Matthews boys seemed lovely.
Not like the huge, towering humans Lucy and Amy were told horrible stories of, not the nameless figures they borrowed from and feared. They sounded like beings capable of real kindness, ones that wanted to help them, even if they didn’t know Amy existed.
They sure knew about Amy now.
How on earth was she going to tell Lucy?
The image entered her thoughts before she could stop it. Lucy standing before her, an expression of shock and anger on her face, disappointment shining through underneath it all. The cherry on top to weigh down the entire cake.
Because she knew it was true. Amy couldn’t feel more like a disappointment. All she had to do was sit her butt down and stay home.
But that was all she ever did.
She tried her best to help out in any way she could. She made blankets, she darned clothes, she cleaned, but it never felt like enough. She could never do what Lucy did. She couldn’t go out and borrow food and supplies, her body wouldn’t even let her run more than five minutes without feeling faint, and that left Amy as one thing.
Lucy never said it, but Amy knew it. She saw the weight of responsibility that lived on Lucy’s shoulders, and most of it was because of her. Amy saw it every single time she fell ill, every time she couldn’t finish a task because her head hurt, every time she got dizzy spells, every time her skin flared red for the millionth time.
Amy saw it, guilt burning in her gut each time.
Lucy refused to hear a single apology, refused to blame Amy for anything. But that didn’t make it go away.
When Amy arrived back home, Lucy was already there, her eyes zeroing in on her as soon as she entered the room.
The felt they’d installed as insulation worked very well ever since their time of crisis. So now their home was a reasonable temperature compared to the outside.
And it was all thanks to the Matthews boys.
The moment one of them saw her suddenly replayed in Amy’s mind. He was blonde, older than the other. It must’ve been Eric Matthews, the one Lucy so vehemently disliked.
“Amy?” Lucy said. She walked briskly over, concern bleeding into her features, “Where’ve you been?”
Amy opened her mouth, then closed it again.
“Your skin is all red,” Lucy observed, laying her hand against Amy’s forehead, “did you go outside again?”
Amy, not knowing what to say or how to explain what had just happened, nodded.
Lucy sighed in exasperation.
“Amy, you know that’s dangerous. It’s freezing outside, why would you want to be frolicking around out there?”
Amy’s head drooped. It wasn’t out of the ordinary for her to go outside sometimes, just to feel the air, the sun on her skin, even if it ended up itchy and inflamed again.
“It’s not that cold,” Amy muttered, “the weatherman said it was 50 degrees today.”
“It’s cold enough. I don’t care what the weatherman said, I don’t want you going outside unless it’s at least 65, ok?” Lucy lectured.
Amy blinked for a moment. Here was her chance to say it, to explain that she hadn’t gone outside at all, that she’d done something far worse.
Lucy looked at her expectantly, and Amy couldn’t do it.
“Sorry for worrying you…” She said finally.
Lucy sighed again, her mouth turned up, a hint of a smile.
“It’s ok,” she said, her tone more affectionate than worried, “now go get some rest.”
Amy smiled weakly back, it was all she could muster. The burning pit of shame in her stomach grew stronger and stronger as she walked past her sister towards their bedroom.
She just couldn’t bear it.
The disappointment in Lucy’s expression would be sharp enough to stab her through.
And who knows if she ever could be.
But she had to tell Lucy somehow.
What kind of mess had she gotten herself into?
One minute, Cory was peacefully doing his homework. Not sleeping. Then the next, Lucy was there.
“Lucy?” Cory said, blinking sleepily at her, “what are you doing here?”
“I’m not here to talk,” Lucy said shortly, stepping over various objects on Cory’s desk, her eyes already searching, “I’m just here for a paperclip.”
Cory watched her for a moment, barely computing her words.
“Do you…need me to get one for you?” he asked slowly.
“No, I can find it myself.”
Cory blinked. Her nose wrinkled a little bit as she surveyed his desk.
“What?” Cory questioned. His face warming at the mess.
“It’s good that you don’t clean much,” Lucy answered, “but it wouldn’t kill you to.”
Dissing him yet again. It was beginning to become common with her.
“First of all, rude,” Cory said, “Second, why is that good?”
Lucy slowly turned her head to look up at him.
“More to pick through…” she answered as though he’d asked the world’s dumbest question.
Lucy sighed, bending over and grabbing a stray paperclip Cory had no clue was there in the first place. He couldn’t help but wonder if he should bring it up at all. What if she got angry and defensive and never showed herself again? But at the same time, Cory’s curiosity was insatiable. He wanted to know who the other Borrower was, the one him and Eric caught peeking at them, not like they were monsters, but like they were fascinating.
“You’re leaving?” Cory asked as Lucy headed back across his desk towards the opening in the wall.
She stopped in her tracks, her hand clenching around the paperclip. Her head turned again, eyes burrowing into his.
“Is there a problem?” she asked.
Despite the underlying fear of being eviscerated, Cory asked anyway.
“Why don’t you stay for a while? Just – hang out?”
If she stayed, maybe he might be able to ask about the other Borrower, to bring up the incident subtly in a way that wouldn’t overwhelm her immediately. Cory could guess she didn’t know what had happened. If she did, he likely wouldn’t be seeing her at all.
“Hang out. What is that?”
Cory searched her expression, but it was a futile task. Lucy could certainly be sarcastic, but Cory had never heard her tell a single joke in the time he knew her.
“Y-you’re serious?” Cory stammered.
He saw the subtle flush on Lucy’s face, her eyes flashing dangerously at him.
“Yes, I’m serious,” she snapped.
Before Cory could make sure he heard her right, the bedroom door opened, and Eric waltzed in.
“Hey, Cor,” He greeted. His eyes landed on Lucy right away and he stalled briefly, like the sight of her had slowed his brain down, “and – heyy Lucy. Nice to see you today…”
“Eric, Lucy doesn’t know what a hang-out is,” he blurted.
Eric paused halfway into the room, glancing between the two of them.
“Uhh…well,” Eric began, eyebrows raised, eyes now resting on Lucy, “you really don’t know?”
Lucy scoffed, her arms crossing indignantly.
“Why is this a big deal? What does it mean?”
The flush in her cheeks was still there, and Cory could tell she was embarrassed from the way she fiddled with her own fingers, understandably so. But Eric didn’t look shocked, he didn’t rub it in either.
“A hang-out is when you spend time with other people, basically,” he explained, putting his backpack down and sitting on his own bed.
Lucy still looked confused.
“Anything,” Eric answered, shrugging his shoulders.
Lucy looked away from him briefly, like she was processing this information still. Cory was still processing too. Something ached in his chest at the genuine confusion on her face, like she was exposed to a brand new culture for the first time. What had her life been like so far that made this concept so mind-blowing to her?
“You can invite as many people as you want too,” Eric continued, “I don’t know how many friends you’ve got around here…”
Cory saw it. Lucy’s body locked up like he’d said something poisonous before she quickly collected herself.
Eric must’ve seen it too. He leaned in slightly, his head tilting, a more careful edge in his demeanor.
“Or not,” he said, tone softening, “you don’t have to invite anyone if you don’t want to.”
Lucy didn’t say anything, but Cory caught the way she held still, the way her grip tightened on the paperclip she held.
Eric’s eyes sharpened just a hint, intrigued now.
“But if you had someone, a friend, or family that you’d want to invite, you could,” Eric went on a little more casually, testing the waters some more.
Cory didn’t even think she was breathing.
She seemed caught in place by something invisible, like a glue trap.
Her dark eyes were wider now.
Eric hesitated for barely a second, like he knew he might be stepping on a sensitive spot.
“Lucy,” he said gently, “you don’t live by yourself, do you?”
Lucy said nothing. Her mouth opened and closed again like she short-circuited in real time.
But then she spoke again.
“I do,” she said, her voice carrying half its normal firmness.
“Lucy,” Cory said gently, her head snapped towards him, “we saw someone else.”
“I-It was me,” she countered quickly, “I doubled back to grab something and – “
“She was blonde,” Eric interrupted, his tone certain.
Lucy went silent at this.
She didn’t seem to have any rebuttal or explanation.
It reminded Cory of a deer in headlights. Not exactly afraid, but completely out of options, no moves left to make.
Eric took the liberty to explain.
“Look,” he said, “It was after you had asked for those three buttons. The pink ones, remember?”
Lucy nodded, her expression hollow.
“Well, soon after you left, we saw someone peeking at us from behind that cup,” Eric continued, pointing at the cup of pencils on Cory’s desk.
Lucy followed his gaze, a gleam of recognition and resignation behind her eyes as Eric spoke.
“I’m pretty sure it was a girl. Blonde hair, brown eyes, she ran when we saw her.”
Cory nodded along with the story, watching Lucy very closely.
She still wasn’t saying anything.
A long pause stretched between them all when Eric finished.
Cory wondered if she would ever speak again.
Eric was watching her too, with a surprising amount of attentiveness Cory didn’t expect.
“It was Amy…” Lucy murmured, so quietly, Cory had to lean in closer to hear her at all.
“Who?” Eric asked softly.
“Amy. My younger sister.”
“Oohh,” he uttered, in the softest tone, Cory had ever heard from his brother.
Lucy glanced between them briefly, assessing their reactions.
“Your sister?” Cory repeated.
“Amy’s not like me…” she began carefully, “she’s more curious, more trusting... I was stupid not to expect this from her.”
“Expect what?” Eric asked.
Lucy glanced at him again before answering.
“For her to be curious about you guys…to want to meet you…”
“Well, can we meet her?” Cory asked tentatively, “I mean, she’s curious about us – we’re curious about her.”
There was a long stretch of silence.
Lucy seemed deep inside her head, her expression unreadable.
Cory exchanged an uncertain glance with Eric, hoping he hadn’t gone a step too far in asking. But he couldn’t help it, he wanted to meet Lucy’s sister. His head was already racing with speculations, someone curious and trusting. That didn’t sound like Lucy at all. He was intrigued.
“You obviously don’t have to if you or Amy don’t want to,” Eric added gently.
“No, I know she wants to. She has for a while now,” she said, lowering her voice to a mutter, “and that’s the problem…”
She looked away distantly.
“So, what does that mean?” Cory pressed uncertainly.
Lucy inhaled sharply as though she wanted to snap at him, but her mouth remained closed.
Eric shot him a pointed look.
“It’s not a no,” Lucy answered, crossing her arms.
“It’s a yes then?” Cory asked, a tiny smile forming on his face.
Lucy shot him a glare, her eyes sharper than razorblades.
“Again, with the questions?” she shot back.
Cory raised his hands in surrender.
Lucy sighed in resignation.
“Both of you listen to me,” she ordered, glancing between them menacingly, “there is nothing I wouldn’t do for my little sister, ok?”
Cory and Eric nodded obediently.
“If either of you do anything to make her uncomfortable, if either of you put a finger out of line, I won’t hesitate. I mean it.”
Lucy watched them like a hawk, looking for any signs of faltering. Then, she backed up towards the walls.
“I’ll be back. Don’t move,” she instructed.
She turned around, hurrying into the walls and leaving Cory and Eric with a strange sense of anticipation buzzing in the air.
When Lucy arrived home, she was surprised to see Amy already in the main room.
She was sitting on one of their thimble stools, her hands clasped together in her lap like she was nervous for one reason or another.
“Amy?” Lucy said, watching as her sister’s head snapped up.
“I have something to tell you,” Amy said quickly, standing to her feet.
It was quite obvious to Lucy what she wanted to say.
“I have something to tell you too.”
Amy took in a deep breath, seemingly gathering her courage before she spoke again.
“I was seen the other day.”
Lucy nodded once, unsurprised.
Amy’s eyes bugged out of her head, just staring for a second.
“They told me,” Lucy explained.
Realization shone in her expression, and Amy hung her head in shame.
“I’m so sorry. I swear, I didn’t mean for anything to happen. I just – I wanted to put their names to their faces for once…”
Lucy stepped closer, hands resting on Amy’s shoulders and rubbing supportive circles.
“Don’t worry about it, I knew it was probably going to happen sooner or later,” she said in a comforting tone, “besides, they want to do the same thing.”
“They want to meet you too.”
Amy froze under Lucy’s touch.
A hint of a smile spread on Lucy’s face.
“Are you sure? I mean – you’re letting this happen and everything?” Amy stammered.
Lucy sighed. She shouldn’t be angry with Amy at all, she’s always been curious and sociable, that’s how it’s been their whole lives. Letting this happen avoided further danger, because what if Lucy didn’t agree before? What if she held firm in not letting Amy meet them? It would still happen whether Lucy wanted it to or not, letting it happen made things cleaner, less secrets, less mess.
“I kind of have to now,” Lucy said, jaw clenching before she straightened herself out, “the damage is already done. They know you exist, and unfortunately, they’re just as curious as you…”
That got Amy to lighten up a little bit. She smiled shyly.
“We should go now,” Lucy said, “They’re waiting on us.”
She pulled Amy’s arm towards the door.
“Wait! Now? I’m not ready!” Amy protested.
“You’ll be fine. I’ll be right there with you the whole time,” Lucy responded, her hand still closed on Amy’s forearm.
Amy gave in and let Lucy guide her through the walls, back towards the Matthews’ boys. Throwing her thoughts away from everything that could go wrong, Lucy tried to think of good things, like Amy’s laughter, how much she would enjoy meeting new people, watching the smile form on her face.
“So, is this you saying they’re safe now?” Amy asked curiously.
Lucy knew she was referring to the human boys waiting for them, and she didn’t quite know how to answer the question.
“They’re useful,” she answered, “meeting you will get them off my back for now…”
Eric had no idea what to expect.
When he was first acquainted with the knowledge of Lucy – the unreadable, sharp-eyed, stand-offish miniature girl that she was – having a sister, his imagination ran in a million different directions. He knew she was blonde and had brown eyes, but that in no way told the full story of who she could be.
Maybe she was just like Lucy, all walls and no doors, or maybe she was different.
Actually, Eric already had that piece of the puzzle.
Lucy’s sister was different. He saw it in her eyes.
They weren’t like Lucy’s. They weren’t dark and vague, they were warm and curious. They’d widened into saucers when caught, and that was the last Eric was able to see before they were gone.
And judging by Lucy’s reaction to them even insinuating her sister existed, Eric could guess that they were close. Or at least, close enough for Lucy to act like a mother goose protecting her nest.
Eric had a piece of the puzzle, and maybe – just maybe, he’d complete more of the picture.
He sat completely still, staring at the spot Lucy had been minutes before.
Cory was just as frozen, eyes fixed on the same place.
And then, the wall opened up.
Lucy crawled out of the little hole in the wall, now familiar head of dark curls leading the way. She turned around as soon as she was on her feet, holding the hand of someone else.
Eric watched, holding his breath as Lucy’s sister glanced between them all, her cheeks flushed pink.
Her hair was longer than Eric had originally thought, blonde, wavy, like it wasn’t used to being pulled back at all. Her eyes were the same as he’d seen behind the cup, warm brown, curious, completely unguarded.
She looked up at him and Cory, smiling shyly, and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.
Lucy looked stiff – anxious, but controlled, like she desperately wanted to hover but forced her arms to her sides. Her eyes shot them both dark looks.
Don’t mess this up, they said, or else…
Before Eric could even get a word out, Amy spoke first.
“Hi,” She said, waving at them as though she was the new kid at school, introducing herself in front of a classroom, “I’m Amy.”
Eric glanced sideways at Cory, whose mouth was parted as though an angel was speaking to him.
“Hey, Amy. Um – I’m Eric and this is Cory,” Eric said, softening his tone.
He elbowed Cory in the side, jolting him into speaking again.
“I-I’m Cory,” he stammered.
Amy smiled fully this time, seemingly amused.
“I know,” She said, and Eric was struck by the softness of her voice, having gotten used to Lucy’s dry and sometimes sharp tone, “I’ve heard so much about you both.”
Cory smiled back endearingly, and Eric considered asking if he’d been hypnotized, but he figured he’d make fun of him later. There were more interesting things to observe at the moment.
He noticed how Lucy remained barely a step behind her, just watching – assessing.
Amy suddenly sighed, her smile faltering, demeanor turning a little nervous.
“I’m sorry,” She said, stepping forward slightly, “for, um…before. I didn’t mean to spy.”
“It’s ok,” Eric responded automatically.
Amy’s lips turned up a little, encouraged. She went on.
“It’s just that – well…you guys have been so kind to us, so helpful this past month, you have no idea. I just wanted to see who you were with my own eyes.”
Her voice was soft still, no hesitation, no skirting the edges of the truth, just complete sincerity.
Eric’s eyes couldn’t help but flick towards Lucy.
Her arms were crossed now, watching Amy carefully, like she was ready to spring into action the second something happened. That wasn’t just loyalty, that was something else – something fierce.
Eric wondered how much of Lucy’s actions were motivated by Amy. How much she hid from them, what she asked them for, everything she didn’t say. How much of it was all for Amy?
“Thank you both so much for everything,” Amy said, eyes shining with such gratefulness that it caught Eric off guard.
“I-It’s no problem,” Cory said, looking dumbfounded.
“Yeah, it was nothing,” Eric added, because it really wasn’t any trouble for them, getting Lucy the things she asked for. All he had to do was open a cabinet and take them, but he supposed it would be a lot more trouble for someone Borrower-sized. His and Cory’s contributions were more important than he originally thought.
“Alright,” Lucy said, pushing off the wall, “that’s enough.”
She reached out and grabbed Amy’s hand.
Amy didn’t protest, following Lucy as she was led back towards the wall.
“Bye!” Amy called over her shoulder, waving at them as though they were her new best friends.
“Come back and hang out any time,” Cory said, waving back with a big smile.
Amy’s eyebrows pinched together slightly.
“Hang out? What’s that?” she asked curiously.
“Don’t worry, Lucy can tell you,” Eric said, a cheeky smile on his face as he waved.
Lucy shot him a glare as the sisters climbed back into the walls, and Eric’s smile only grew.
As soon as they were gone, Cory turned to him.
“Do you think she actually will?” he asked eagerly, “come back to hang out?”
Eric clapped a hand on his shoulder.
“Only if Lucy doesn’t lock her up first.”
“She wouldn’t do that…right?”
Eric was pretty sure she would.
“Look, she’d have to have a radical change of heart. I mean, did you see her face just now?”
“She looked like she’d kill us if we moved an inch in any direction,” Eric continued.
“But she always looks like that,” Cory shrugged.
“Yeah, but even more this time. She doesn’t play around when it comes to Amy, I can tell.”
Cory deflated in disappointment.
Eric thought for a moment.
“Hope? Pray?” he suggested.
Cory clapped his hands suddenly.
“I got it!” He exclaimed, “we could get those peanut butter sandwich cookies, rub two of ‘em together, lure them both out, and then…”
“And then, we snatch up Amy so she has to hang-out with us!”
Eric stared for a good minute.
“You know, that’s crazy enough that it just might work,” he said.
“Look, Cor, I think we’re just gonna have to give it time…”
“Hey, I’m sure they’ll come around,” Eric said, his tone a little more encouraging, “there might be a day where Lucy doesn’t glare at us…in 40 years.”
Lucy was quiet the entire way home.
Her mind raced with what this meeting now meant for her and Amy.
Had she gotten the humans off her back or ensured they never left?
What did they expect now? Visitations?
Or that word they kept using, hang-out?
Being in the boys’ presence for no other reason but to be there.
The concept was simply bizarre.
But unfortunately, Amy seemed all for it, excited even – after Lucy had informed her of the meaning.
“Do you think I could go up again tomorrow?” Amy asked eagerly when they arrived home.
Lucy’s head whipped toward Amy as she put her tools down.
“You know…to hang out with them?”
Amy’s smile faltered a little, but she pressed on.
“Why not? They want me to, I’m sure it would be ok if I – “
Lucy’s voice was firmer. Her jaw ticked uncontrollably.
Amy was quiet for a moment.
“Are you…angry with me still?” She asked tentatively.
“I was never angry at you,” Lucy countered.
Amy didn’t look convinced. She stepped closer to Lucy.
“Lucy…” She said softly, “please be honest with me. Are you still angry?”
Lucy sighed heavily, hanging her head in defeat.
She shouldn’t be angry at Amy, ever. It was wrong. Amy didn’t mean any harm, never.
But the slight sting of betrayal hurt, nonetheless.
“Why did you go behind my back?” Lucy asked, her tone sounding much more vulnerable than before, “why did I have to find out you were seen from the humans?”
Amy’s eyes shone with tears now, and Lucy’s chest tightened so much she had trouble breathing correctly.
“I’m sorry,” Amy whispered, “I thought if I asked you, you would just say no.”
But now they were in an even deeper hole. The humans clearly wanted to form some kind of friendship with them, an idea that spelled all kinds of danger according to Lucy’s instincts.
It was bad enough to be seen by them, even worse to be caught, and even worse to be accepting help from them, relying on them, befriending them. If their father was still around, or literally any other Borrower who didn’t blatantly disregard the code, they would be absolutely scandalized.
They’d crossed lines they were raised never to even look at.
Lucy and Amy would be marked as traitors forever.
Amy grasped Lucy’s hands, her gaze turned pleading.
“I didn’t tell you at first because…well – because I thought you’d be disappointed in me.”
“I’m so so sorry, Lucy…” Amy said, tears dripping down her pink cheeks.
Lucy’s body reacted immediately, pulling Amy into a tight hug, rubbing up and down her back in a soothing motion, any residual anger she had evaporating in a second.
“You couldn’t disappoint me, even if you tried…” Lucy muttered.
They stayed like that for what felt like hours, Lucy softly soothing her sister who, after a while, pulled away, wiping her tears.
“I love you,” Amy murmured.
“Love you too,” Lucy replied.
Amy smiled weakly, going and sitting down wearily on one of the stools.
Lucy sat down on another stool across from Amy.
“I’m just trying to keep you safe, Amy,” she said.
“I know,” Amy responded, sniffling, “trust me, I do.”
“Then you understand why befriending humans isn’t a great idea?”
“Yeah, for most cases. But don’t you see? Our case is different.”
Lucy’s brows furrowed, “what do you mean?”
“I mean, we’ve both seen them, talked to them, and accepted help from them. Obviously, you don’t think they’re that dangerous anymore.”
Lucy opened her mouth, ready to disagree, but Amy kept going.
“I’m just saying…they seem like such nice boys, we’ve already gone off the deep end with Borrower Code, I don’t see the harm anymore.”
Lucy could see the harm crystal clear, but she didn’t say anything.
“And aside from all that,” Amy said, her tone softening to an almost melancholy degree, “it gets really lonely around here…”
Lucy’s mind went silent at that, her worst-case scenarios quieted, a painful sensation of familiarity settling in her chest.
Their lives really were lonely.
All they had was each other.
“Doesn’t it kill you too?” Amy whispered.
Lucy nodded silently, her fingernails digging into her palms.
It did kill her sometimes, the ache. Sometimes it was about their parents, missing them, missing their guidance. But sometimes, the ache told her other things. It longed for connection, more connection.
“So, why don’t we do something about it?” Amy finished.
Lucy remained silent for a minute, thinking, turning it over in her head.
She couldn’t lie, watching Amy light up while conversing with the Matthews boys was like a balm for her soul, even if she was worried about things going wrong the entire time.
Even though everything about this screamed danger, went against everything she was taught, and everything she believed, the idea wasn’t sounding so bad anymore.
“If we do this…” Lucy began slowly, “under no circumstances can you go up there without me.”
Amy nodded feverishly, her eyes widening in shock.
“You have to promise me you’ll be very careful,” Lucy continued, “Trust me, if anything goes wrong, we’ll be out of here and those boys will never see us again, ok?”
“Yes!” Amy exclaimed, “I promise!”
Amy squealed, jumping off her stool to wrap Lucy in an enthusiastic hug.
Lucy hugged her back, hoping to everything above that she wasn’t making the biggest mistake of her life.
Project friendship was in motion now, whether she liked it or not.
